The Image-text Relations In Illustrated Translations Of Chinese Classics

Image is a universal language that transcends nationality,language,and cultural constraints.Illustrations which provide relevant historical information to the text enjoy paratextual value.Considering that a variety of illustrated translations of Chinese classics have been published,the relationship between the images and texts and their impact on international communication of Chinese culture are undoubtedly topics worthy of attention.This thesis takes the English translation of Sun Zi Bing Fa as the subject of study.Drawing on R.Martinec and A.Salway’s theory of Image-Text Relations as well as A.Appiah’s concept of Thick Translation,I identify two prerequisite qualities of paratextual images and build a new theoretical framework applicable for analysing the image-text relations in the translation of Chinese classics.The interactions between image and translation and the explanatory power of images for the context of the original in 10 illustrated translations of Sun Zi Bing Fa are examined,thus screening editions with paratextual images.Guided by this newly-built theoretical framework,a comparison is made between the paratextual images in illustrated translations and the annotations in the classical translations of L.Giles and S.Griffiths to explore the functions and limitations of images in representing the historical context and expanding cultural knowledge,summarising the principles of image translation and translation strategies,hoping that the findings can enhance the overseas communication of Chinese classics.Three major findings are obtained through qualitative analysis.Firstly,there are two domains of image-text relations in the translation of Chinese classics: the image-core text domain and the image-paratext domain.Secondly,illustrated translations are made in one of four conditions: decorative images,restored images,conceptual images,and comics.Thirdly,among the 4 types of images,restored images and comics could establish the image-text relations with both the original and the translation.An examination of the two illustrated translations where the image-text relations exist reveals that restored images faithfully reproduce Chinese history and culture,effectively compensating for the cultural omissions in the process of translation;comics vividly reinforce the rhetorical effect and optimise Chinese cultural communication.Such illustrated versions fuse the classics and visual signs,which align with the requirement of“promoting the creative transformation and development of the excellent Chinese traditional culture,” creating a promising paradigm for the “going global”initiative of Chinese classics.